


Thicker Than Blood

by MidgardianWatcher



Category: Kong: Skull Island (2017)
Genre: Eventual Smut, F/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-10-26
Updated: 2020-02-19
Packaged: 2021-01-03 11:34:59
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 4
Words: 7,070
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21178745
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MidgardianWatcher/pseuds/MidgardianWatcher
Summary: Now recruited to Monarch, Conrad goes undercover in the Yu crime family as part of a joint mission with MI6 to recover an informant who has crucial information about their criminal activity and the location of stolen Monarch artifacts.But what will he do when it's someone he wasn't expecting?





	1. Monarch

**Author's Note:**

> Hello Readers! 
> 
> A couple notes.
> 
> Firstly, this work of fiction was inspired by and dedicated to my wonderful friend Maiqui. Thank you for trusting me to write this story for you and I hope you enjoy reading it as much as I have enjoyed writing it.
> 
> Secondly, this work of fiction takes place shortly after the events of Kong: Skull Island. Liberties were taken, but I tried very hard to keep this story as close to authentically 70s as possible.
> 
> Enjoy!

The sky was a dusty pink as the sun barely began to rise. James Conrad stepped out the door of his flat as the chill of the autumn air raised goosebumps on his skin. He breathed in the crisp air, mentally preparing for his morning ritual.

And then he took off.

His feet hit the pavement at a steady rythym as he ran, the normally crowded streets of London mostly empty in the early morning hours. It was quiet, peaceful. So peaceful, in fact, that one could actually hear himself think.

Which was the plan all along.

It had been a month since the expedition to Skull Island. To say the experience had been life-changing would have been an understatement. When Conrad had arrived on the island, he had been a cynical decommissioned soldier just looking for a payday. But the man who left that island...

He had a newfound purpose, something to work toward, for the first time in years.

When the survivors of Skull Island had made it to the mainland, Conrad and Mason Weaver, a photojournalist who had been recruited for the expedition, were held in an interrogation room, anticipating that whoever had endorsed the expedition to Skull Island was looking to intimidate them into silence.

Not that they needed to try very hard. Weaver had already confided to Conrad that she didn't plan on telling anyone, despite her empty threat to tell the Russians.

But rather than an interrogation, Houston Brooks and San Lin, two scientists who had also survived the island, debriefed Conrad and Weaver about Monarch, the secret organization behind the exploration of Skull Island. They revealed that Kong, the 90 foot ape that they found on the island, was part of a class of beings called Titans. Several different species of Titans had been discovered throughout history, and Monarch was dedicated to the study and preservation of these creatures.

And now they were looking to recruit Conrad and Weaver for the cause.

It had been a lot of information to process, the idea that there were more creatures like Kong on this earth. Conrad had stood mere feet from the giant ape, and had been in awe of his presence. He had seen the protective and non-threatening nature of Kong, and knew that if there were others like him, these creatures needed to be protected from the general public.

Which led to what he was doing back in England after so many years.

Brooks had told Conrad of an excavation that took place in Japan that unearthed fossils of Mothra, a Titan with the appearance of a giant moth. They had found what appeared to be skeletal remains and a fossilized egg. These findings were sent to a secure warehouse, where they would be flown to a research lab in California.

They never even made it on the plane.

The artifacts had been stolen from the warehouse the night before they were to be shipped out, and the description of the suspected thieves were very generic: Male, medium build, Asian. Not a lot to go on.

But the tracker was determined.

Conrad flew out to Japan to look around the dig site, hoping to find some clue as to whether the thieves had been lying in wait, preparing to make their move. This search, however, turned up little to nothing.

His next step was back to England, where he discreetly spoke to some of his old contacts. Again, this turned up nothing. No sign of the artifacts going through customs, or being confiscated at the borders. Most of the people he spoke to were just shocked to see him.

_Thought you were dead._

_In a way._

He went over all of this in his mind as he reached the bank of the Thames, stopping to look out over the water and the city.

_What are we missing? Is there something we overlooked?_

At that moment, a black town car pulled up to the street closest to the bank.

Conrad, although his thoughts were elsewhere, was a man who was constantly on alert. He heard the car pull up, then the cut of the engine, and the opening and shutting of the doors. The footsteps on the pavement were barely audible over the waves.

“Captain Conrad” he heard a voice call from behind him.

With a twinge of annoyance in his voice, he replied “It's just Conrad”

He turned around to see two government agents walking towards him.

“Mr. Conrad, you're going to have to come with us, please” the first man spoke.

Conrad knitted his brows. “What's this about?”

Both men pulled out their ID badges.

“MI6. We need to ask you some questions back at headquarters.” the second man answered.

Conrad seemed to weigh his options for a moment, then nodded.

_This is either really good or really bad._

He walked towards the town car, the agents flanking him on either side. Climbing into the back seat, his mind raced with questions as the car pulled away from the curb.


	2. MI6

Conrad's patience was starting to wear. Judging from the clock on the wall, he had been here for about 2 hours. The two agents- Perkins and Garrett were their names, he had learned- had put him in this interrogation room, and he hadn't seen them since.

_A few questions, my ass._

He went through all the logical reasons as to why he was in this room. Did he ruffle a few too many feathers with his questions about the artifacts? His contacts had been told that he was simply doing a favor for a friend. He was certain that if he started tossing the name “Monarch” around, the consensus would be that he had gone completely mental.

_And that's before you mention the giant ape. _

At that moment, Agent Garrett walked in, holding files in his hands. Garrett looked to be around Conrad's age, with dark hair and eyes and an olive complexion. He sat on the opposite side of the table, the files splayed out in front of him.

“Mr. Conrad….” Garrett began as he opened a file in front of him. “You have made quite a name for yourself.”

Conrad remained still in his seat, silent as he waited for Garrett to continue.

“Exemplary service to the British SAS…. glowing letters of recommendation from your commanding officers when you were promoted to Captain...hold on.”

Conrad tensed. His service file. He knew what was coming next.

Garrett continued “...it says here that your last mission resulted in the deaths of two of your men, and that you resigned shortly after.”

Conrad's voice was flat. “Ambush. The civilian we were sent to recover was also killed.”

“Hmmm.” Garrett continued to study the file.

Conrad place his elbows on the table and leaned forward. “As much as I'm enjoying this trip down memory lane,” he remarked sarcastically. “You want to tell me what I'm really doing here?”

Garrett closed the file lazily and reached for another. “Do you recognize anything on this document?” He placed the file in front of Conrad, rotating it to face him. The document appeared to be a shipping roster with several items on it.

_Case of M-16s....1000 rounds of ammunition....Bulletproof vests...._

_...dinosaur fossils?_

_Mothra._

Conrad looked up at Garrett, who was waiting for Conrad's reaction.

“Word about town is that you, Mr. Conrad, have been inquiring about items very similar to these dinosaur fossils.”

Conrad narrowed his eyes slightly. “I'm not in the mood for games, Mr. Garrett. If you know where these artifacts are, it's in your best interest to tell me.”

Garrett leaned back in his chair, crossing his arms smugly. “Actually Mr. Conrad, it's in my best interest to know why a former soldier such as yourself is somehow involved with an international MI6 investigation.”

Conrad's face was one of confusion. “Beg your pardon?”

Garrett pointed at the file open on the table. “Not only do you apparently have access to classified information on the case, but the subject of this investigation seems to know who you are.”

Garrett held Conrad’s service file in his hand. “This file was flagged by our government for a background check in the Philippines two days ago. It was ordered by a Mr. Manuel Yu. Ever heard of him?”

Conrad was absolutely dumbstruck. “Manuel Yu? As in the Filipino Mafia? Of course I've heard of him. And before you ask, no. I have no earthly idea why he is running a check on me.”

“Well let me ask a simpler question. Where did you get the information about the fossils?” Garrett asked.

Conrad contemplated what to say, when the door opened. In the doorway stood Perkins, a lean young man with red hair and green eyes, with an apologetic look on his face. “Erm...Garrett, a word please.”

Garrett glanced at Conrad before stepping outside to speak with Perkins, shutting the door behind him. Conrad sighed.

Then he heard shouting.

“What do you mean he's level 6??”

“Keep your voice down! It just came down on the wire.”

“From who?”

Silence.

The door opened again, and Garrett stood in the doorway, looking rather red in the face, but mostly composed.

“If you will kindly follow me to the conference room, Mr. Conrad. There's apparently been a miscommunication.”

\- - - - - - -

10 minutes later, Conrad sat at the conference room table, as Garrett brought in a box, from which he pulled several files to lay on the table. Perkins stood in the corner, pouring coffee. Once both men were seated across from him, the door was locked, and coffee was distributed around the table, Garrett spoke.

“Mr. Conrad, I'm afraid there's been a misunderstanding. We were not aware of your status with Monarch.”

Conrad's eyebrows shot up. “I was under the impression that no one knew of Monarch’s existence.”

Garrett and Perkins shared a look, and Perkins spoke. “A few people in our agency are aware it exists, but only on a need-to-know basis. Once these fossils came into the picture, we were put in contact with Monarch.”

Conrad sat with his arms crossed. “I'm assuming they didn't tell you they had someone looking into it from their end?”

Garrett pursed his lips. “They did….however they were not forthcoming with the details.”

Perkins added, “Monarch didn't confirm your status as one of their agents until moments ago. Based on your mercenary background in Southeast Asia, we were cautious. We weren't certain if you were Monarch... or a spy for Mr. Yu.”

Conrad wore a look of annoyance. “Well I can assure you, I'm not spying for a Filipino crime boss. In fact, Mr. Yu and I have never crossed paths that I'm aware of.”

Garrett nodded. “We know that now. Our apologies.”

Conrad shrugged. “No harm done.” He paused for a moment. “I guess that leads to my next question.”

Garrett responded, “Ask away.”

“Since when does MI6 have an active investigation on Manuel Yu?” Conrad asked. “Last I heard, every government agency from here to Hong Kong has been trying to gain solid evidence against him with no success.”

Garrett opened a file. “A few months ago, our agency started receiving these.” He laid out documents on the table. “They’re journal entries of some sort. They detail meetings with Manuel Yu and several of his associates, most of them suspected mafia members. There's also mention of secret meetings between Yu and the president of the Philippines.”

Conrad looked up from the document. “Ferdinand Marcos? There's a match made in hell.”

Perkins smirked. “Got that right. A tyrant and an international criminal in the same room together? It reeks of disaster.”

Garrett moved to another file, opening it and displaying it on the table. “These are detailed shipping invoices, much like the ones I showed you earlier. You can see that there are some...interesting items listed.”

Conrad leaned forward to look at the invoices, glancing at what was listed. Guns and ammo, just like the first, but then…

He looked up at Garrett. “This number has to be incorrect.”

Garrett shook his head. “We’re going off the assumption that it's not.”

Conrad was shocked. “10 tons. Of cocaine.”

Garrett nodded. “Correct.”

Conrad shook his head, chuckling darkly. “Well boys, I'd say you've got enough to lock our boy Yu up for, oh, at least three decades.”

Garrett and Perkins shared a look.

“Actually…” Perkins spoke up. “This alone isn't enough to indict him.”

Conrad narrowed his eyes. “What do you mean?”

“This information we showed you…” Garrett said. “It came from a source within Yu’s compound. However, in order to charge him, we have to have physical proof.”

Conrad raised a brow. “In other words, this source of yours has to lead you right to where he keeps his drugs and guns. Oh, and somehow catch Yu, Marcos and all these other blokes in the same room together.”

“That would be the dream scenario, yes.” Perkins said.

Conrad glanced at the box that Garrett had pulled files from. “I gather that this is just the tip of the iceberg?”

Perkins chuckled. “If everything the source has sent is true, we've got him on a myriad of charges.” He started counting off on his finger. “Grand theft, possession with intent to distribute, money laundering, extortion, conspiracy to commit murder…”

Conrad nodded. He had encountered some pretty corrupt people in the last few years as a mercenary, but the stories he had heard about Manuel Yu were really horrendous. The man was cruel and merciless- there were rumors that the people of Manila and the surrounding communities of the main island were bullied into accepting Yu’s “protection” for a very steep price.

And anyone who didn't pay the fine? Mysteriously drowned in the ocean, or found with a bullet between the eyes.

Add in the evidence in front of him, and it was safe to say that Yu was a major player in the drug running business in Southeast Asia.

The man was a cold-blooded criminal, and Conrad only had one question nagging his brain.

“So what does he want with me?” Conrad asked the two men sitting across the table.

Garrett responded. “Well, considering he ran a background check on you, we're assuming that he is... looking to hire your services.”

Conrad raised an eyebrow. “That seems a little odd. Yu seems to be the type of man to keep his employees of the local variety, shall we say.”

Perkins nodded. “Agreed. However there's a possibility that Yu is aware that someone is leaking this information and is suspicious of his own people. He might be looking to outside sources. Combine that with your experience in that part of the world and he might see you as a viable candidate.”

Conrad sat back in his chair. “So, what do we do now?”

Garrett drank his coffee. “We wait for Yu to make his move. Then we go from there.”

Conrad sighed. “Can't wait.”


	3. Manuel

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Author's Note: Just in case anyone gets confused in this chapter because there was a lot of formatting:
> 
> Dialogue inside parentheses <()> indicates a 2nd person's dialogue on a phone call. Italics indicate thoughts. 
> 
> Hope this clears up confusion since this chapter has a lot going on. 
> 
> Thanks for reading!

The television played the morning news in the background. Conrad, freshly showered and changed into a flannel shirt and jeans, stood at the stove, frying eggs and sausage in the pan.The morning had been odd to say the least, and so normalcy, or as much as he could muster, was in order. He grabbed a banana off the counter, and transferred the eggs and sausage to a plate, and sat down at the table to absently watch the news as he ate.

_After all, what does one do when a mafia crime boss could phone you at any moment?_

The revelation that Manuel Yu was inquiring about him still unnerved him. He wondered where Yu had even gotten his name from, or whom rather.

And more importantly, for what purpose was Yu looking to hire him?

He dreaded to find out, but the possibility of retrieving the artifacts he had been looking for was of greater importance.

The news continued on the television as Conrad brough his plate to the sink.

And the phone began to ring.

Conrad froze for a moment, gently placing the plate in the sink as he turned the water off. He dried his hands and reached for the receiver on the 4th ring.

"Hello" he answered.

A female operator spoke. (_"_Please hold_.")_

("Mr. James Conrad?") A deep male voice with an Asian accent came on the line.

"Yes, to whom am I speaking please?"

("Mr. Conrad, my name is Manuel Yu. Have I caught you at a bad time?")

Conrad drew a breath before speaking. "Not at all, Mr. Yu. How can I help you?"

("Mr. Conrad, I won't take up too much of your time. I'm calling with a business proposition for you.")

"What sort of proposition?"

("I would like to hire your services, Mr. Conrad.")

His interest was piqued. "I see. May I ask in what capacity?"

("I am looking to hire a personal bodyguard.")

_A bodyguard? That's...not what I was expecting.  
_

"For yourself, I presume?"

("No. Actually, Mr. Conrad, it's for my daughter.")

_He...has a daughter?_

"I beg your pardon?"

("Perhaps I should explain. I am a wealthy business man, Mr. Conrad. But amidst that wealth and success, I have acquired a few enemies. Most of them are relatively harmless. Some however, as I have recently discovered, would seek to do significant harm to me and my family.")

Conrad fought not to roll his eyes. _You say "signifcant harm", I say "throw you in prison for the rest of your life".__  
_

"I see. And you believe your daughter is potentially at risk?_"_

("Correct. My daughter is the only family I have, which makes her an easy target. With the proper protection, I would like to eliminate any chance of her becoming collateral damage.")

_Translation: The daughter might be an innocent._

"And you believe that I have the ability to provide this proper protection, as you say?"

("I had heard rumors about you, Mr. Conrad- a highly skilled English soldier turned mercenary, bouncing around Asia the last few years. So, naturally I was curious. I was most impressed by your military background.")

_Well that explains how he knew who I was. I didn't exactly hide my profession._

("I would be most pleased if you would consider my offer, Mr. Conrad. A man with your experience and training is just what I'm looking for. You will be well compensated for your time.") He rambled off a salary that made Conrad's eyes widen.

"That...is a very generous offer, Mr. Yu. I will need some time to think it over, if that's alright."

("Certainly. When you're ready, call this number.") Yu rattled off a phone number that Conrad wrote down. ("I await your response.")

"Thank you. Goodbye, Mr. Yu."

("Goodbye, Mr. Conrad.")

Conrad gently placed the receiver back on the cradle, and exhaled.

He sat back in the chair, his brain processing the conversation that had just taken place.

And then the phone rang again.

He raised a brow.

_I'm bloody popular today._

He picked up the receiver again.

"Hello."

("Its Garrett. Can we meet?")

"I take it you heard?"

("Every word.")

_Of course you did._

"Where?"

("Come back to headquarters. We can discuss it there.")

Conrad hung up the phone, sighing in exasperation. He grabbed his coat off the hook in the closet, and locked the door on his way out.

\-----------

"And here I thought you trusted me, Garrett. A phone tap. Really?" Conrad smirked ironically as he sat in the same chair from a few hours ago.

Garrett shrugged, his hands raised in defeat. "To be fair, that phone tap was put in place yesterday. Since it was already there...we thought we might as well use it."

Conrad chuckled, shaking his head. "How bloody convenient."

Perkins walked over, coffee in hand. "No complaining from us. Now we know why Yu is so damn interested in you."

Conrad scoffed. "A bodyguard. I must admit, that was a curveball."

Garrett nodded. "But it's better than nothing."

Conrad's eyes narrowed slightly. "Meaning?"

"We want you in on this Conrad. As our inside man." Garrett stated.

Conrad leaned forward, his tone cynical. "You want me to go undercover in Yu's organization, posing as his daughter's bodyguard?"

Garrett and Perkins looked at each other, and then they both nodded. "This might be our best shot to bring him down. If we can get you on the inside, there's a good chance you'll find whoever our anonymous source is." Perkins explained, bringing his coffee to his lips.

Conrad thought it over for a moment. The assignment wasn't optimal. If he was assigned to Yu's daughter, it would be a challenge to track down the source. Although, judging from the conversation with Yu, he might be suspicious of someone already.

"When was the last time the informant contact you?"

Garrett looked up at the ceiling for a moment, thinking. "About a week ago. The transmissions have become more sproadic, which leads us to believe that Yu could be hot on their tail."

Conrad nodded. "Then we don't have much time."

Perkins' eyebrows shot up. "We? You'll do it?"

Conrad smirked. "Gladly."

\------

_24 hours later_

Manuel Yu stepped into his private office just as his phone rang. He smirked as he picked up the phone, knowing exactly who it was.

"Hello?'

The person on the other end spoke to Yu as his second in command, Chua, stood in the doorway.

Yu smiled as he spoke. "That is wonderful, Mr. Conrad. I am pleased to hear it. How soon should we expect you?"

Chua smirked as Yu wrote down a quick note on a small piece of paper.

"Excellent. We will see you in a week, Mr. Conrad. I will have my driver meet you at the airport when you arrive. Thank you for calling. Goodbye."

He replaced the receiver in the cradle and looked up at Chua.

"So? It worked?" Chua asked.

Yu smiled evilly. "Indeed. Everything is going according to plan."


	4. Manila

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Apologies for how long it took to get this chapter online. Hope to start on the next installment soon. For now, please enjoy this newest chapter! 
> 
> Slight language in this chapter, so just fair warning.
> 
> Also new characters. Enjoy!

Ask anyone who has been on a flight spanning multiple time zones, and they will tell you- it's exhausting, lengthy and downright tedious. For Conrad, however, it had become second nature to adjust his body constantly to the local clock.

He left Heathrow Airport just after 6 AM on a Friday morning, and after a layover each in Zurich and Hong Kong, he arrived in Manila just after 10 AM local time on Saturday. Sleep had been easy enough during the long flight, for which he was grateful. It would make the transition easier.

For the past week, he had spent most waking hours going over the box of files that MI6 had on Yu, most of which were the transmissions from their unknown informant.

Perkins had been right. The evidence had been astounding. Whoever this mystery informant was, they were close to the operation, and had access to just about everything that Yu said or did.

_ The tricky part will be finding them before Yu does. _

Garrett had agreed with Conrad that if this operation was going to work, he would have to go in solo- if Yu suspected at all that he was anything more than a mercenary for hire, it would not end well.

They had to be cautious, and prepare for every possible scenario.

He stepped off the plane, walking through the terminal. He had changed into the blue suit while waiting for the plane in Hong Kong, anticipating that he would be meeting Yu shortly after he arrived in Manila. His carry-on bag slung over his shoulder, he walked to the luggage turnstile to retrieve his suitcase. Once in hand, he began searching the crowd for anyone who might be Yu’s driver.

Which honestly, wasn't difficult since Conrad was at least a head taller than everyone.

He quickly located an older gentleman in a black suit and tie. He was sporting a graying goatee with his hair cut short. He was holding up a sign with Conrad’s name written on it. Conrad made his way over to the man, his suitcase trailing behind him. The man with the goatee smiled. “Mr. Conrad?” he asked.

Conrad lifted his lips into a small smile. “That would be me.”

The goateed man extended his hand. “Cruz. I'm Mr. Yu’s personal driver.”

Conrad shook his hand. “Pleasure to meet you.”

Cruz led Conrad out of the terminal as he spoke. “Did you have a nice flight sir?”

Conrad nodded. “Long, but good, yes. Thank you.”

Cruz nodded. “Very good.” He led Conrad to a black SUV waiting outside. After loading his luggage into the trunk, Conrad slid into the back seat, and Cruz got in the driver seat and they drove off.

Conrad quietly took a breath as they made their way down the main road out of the airport.

He looked out the window at the streets of Manila as they drove along. The heart of Manila was packed with houses, the streets lined with cars and street vendors of all kinds. It wasn't surprising to him, the crowded state of the city. Vietnam, when he had been there, had been just as crowded, if not more so. It was a far cry from his home in London, where everything seemed to be spaced out and somewhat more orderly.

They headed south, and eventually came to a checkpoint. Conrad could clearly see men in uniform up ahead.

_ Military, by the looks of it. Martial law must still be in effect. _

They inched closer to the checkpoint, and watched as the uniformed men motioned for the car in front of them to pull over to the side. Cruz pulled up to the checkpoint, and as he handed the guard his ID, Conrad watched as the car that had been pulled over was searched, the driver wearing a look of fear on his face.

_ An innocent, more than likely. _

The uniformed guard handed Cruz back his ID and they moved past the checkpoint. Slowly, the city of Manila thinned out as they drove.The scenery changed, the tightly packed buildings became further apart, the noise dropping from a loud cacophony to a soft murmur.

Soon enough, the city itself gave way to the tropical inland, trees and plants growing along the streets, showcasing the natural beauty of the archipelago. It reminded him, in a domesticated and tame way, of the jungle on Skull Island.

_ No monsters here. Unless you count the corrupt elite. _

Cruz turned onto a private street, and from the back of the SUV, Conrad could see there were barely any houses on this stretch of road. They only drove a short way before the SUV slowed to a stop outside a metal gate in front of a white house. Cruz entered the code on the keypad, and the gate slid open, allowing them entrance and giving Conrad a view of their destination.

Yu’s home was a beautiful two-story in the shape of an inverted horseshoe. the driveway circle from the gate up to the covered entrance then back around. There was a large fountain in the center of a circular driveway, the water cascading beautifully into the lower basin. Conrad looked up at the house, which appeared well maintained, with no signs of wear. On the second floor, there was one long balcony on one side of the house, indicating bedrooms, and an iron railing around the perimeter of the property. The grounds themselves were neat and trimmed, almost as if they had been tended to early that morning.

Cruz pulled the SUV under the covered entrance, and put the car in park. Cruz and Conrad both got out of the car, and Cruz came around the back to retrieve Conrad luggage out of the trunk. Conrad took the opportunity to look around. The Philippines was a hot and humid climate, which was nothing new to him. The landscaping of the home was simple and minimalistic, with very few plants out front. There were two potted hydrangeas, each on either side of the entryway. The front entrance to the home was made up of two wooden doors, sturdy and heavy in appearance. The whole exterior of the home was very reminiscent of the Spanish Inquisition, in Conrad's mind.

Conrad heard the trunk of the SUV shut firmly, and turned to see Cruz carrying his suitcase and carry-on towards the door. Before either of them could get there, however, one of the double wooden doors opened from the inside, and a young man with a prim smile stepped out. He looked to be in his forties with a slender build. He had short black hair, a clean-shaven face and was dressed in a black suit similar to Cruz.

Cruz spoke to the man at the door. “Ah, Torres. This is Mr. Conrad, our anticipated guest. Mr. Conrad, this is Torres, the butler of the house.”

Torres and Conrad briefly shook hands.

“Pleasure to meet you.”

Torres smiled primly. “Welcome to the Philippines, Mr. Conrad. Please come inside.” He held the wooden door open and Conrad stepped over the threshold.

The house was pristine. The walls were painted white, just as the exterior. Just inside the door was a small foyer, with a long table to the left, displaying an array of books along with a few small plants sitting atop it. Two paintings, twins judging from the style, hung on the wall above it. Further down, a staircase stood opposite the wall in a corner, partially hidden from Conrad's view.

It was the room directly in front of him as he walked in that caught the attention of its guests. The large open living room was separated into two sitting areas, a mixture of settees, sofas and chairs blended elegantly together. Each coffee table in the center of the spaces was unique- one was a glass top with wooden legs, a small statuette placed atop it. The other, a solid wood structure, held a bonsai tree in its center. The farthest wall from the entry was a wall of windows, letting in natural light through the sheer curtains, and shining softly on the grand piano in the corner.

All of this Conrad took in in a matter of seconds, drinking in his first glimpse of the house as he stepped inside.

He turned around towards the front door as Cruz and Torres walked through. Cruz passed off Conrad’s luggage to Torres, who took the bags up the stairs.

Cruz gestured to the living area. “I will let Mr. Yu know that you have arrived. Please make yourself comfortable, Mr. Conrad.”

Conrad nodded. “Thank you.”

Cruz gave a brief nod and then turned in the direction of the stairs, walking through a doorway, the sound of a door clicking shut reaching Conrad's ears.

Conrad let out a breath slowly as he stood alone in the large living room.

_ Behind enemy lines. The easy part is over. _

He casually looked around the room, taking his time. The furniture and decor was clearly meant to display Yu’s wealth, without being too gaudy or flashy. Everything was pristine and spotless, even the grand piano looked freshly polished, free of fingerprints and scuffs. As he stepped closer to the back wall, the windows were as clear as, well, glass. Double doors were positioned in the middle of the wall, leading out to a beautifully manicured lawn. There was a wooden platform that surrounded the giant willow tree just outside, and through the iron gate at the end of the property…

_ A golf course. Bloody hell. _

He heard the click of a door shutting once again behind him, and male voices murmuring incoherently.

_ Show time. _

Conrad turned and strolled casually towards the center of the room as Cruz silently came around the corner, heading discreetly for the front door once again. Two men followed not far behind, discussing something in hushed tones. Their conversation, however, ceased the moment they laid eyes on Conrad. The younger of the two regarded Conrad with barely concealed superiority and smugness, his hair cut short and his face clean shaven. Conrad could sense something was...off-kilter about this man. He would have to tread lightly.

The second man, with his thick hair slicked back, and a trim goatee on his face, was immediately recognizable to Conrad. His countenance was no-nonsense, with a polite smile on his face.

“Ah, Mr. Conrad. You made it here at last.” He stretched out his hand to Conrad, who grasped it firmly with a forced chuckle.

“Indeed I did. A pleasure to meet you, Mr. Yu.”

“The pleasure is mine, Mr. Conrad. Thank you for agreeing to come on such short notice.”

They shook hands briefly, and Yu gestured to his companion. “May I introduce Mr. Raphael Chua, my business partner.”

_ Raphael Chua. His second-in-command. No wonder he reeks of crazy. It's no secret Chua does most of the dirty work, quite literally. _

Chua wore a mask of decorum, but the mayhem could be seen in his eyes. He stretched out a hand for Conrad to shake, his voice sarcastic and patronizing.

“Such a pleasure to have you, Mr. Conrad. Truly an honor.”

_ At least try to hide your distrust of me. You're taking all the fun out of it. _

Conrad shook Chua’s hand firmly, conveying his mutual dislike, albeit more discreetly.

“Pleasure is all mine, Mr. Chua.”

Chua gave a smirk of derision before retreating behind his mask.

“Well gentlemen, I would love to stay and chat, but I must be on my way.” Chua inclined his head towards Yu, who nodded.

“ Will you be at Mass tomorrow?” Yu asked him.

Chua chuckled. “God willing.”

Both men laughed lightly and Chua turned to leave, just as Cruz opened the door for him, a different car parked out front. There was an exchange of keys, and Cruz shut the front door behind Chua.

“Thank you Cruz” Yu said primly.

Cruz nodded. “Yes sir.” He turned and walked off to another portion of the house, leaving the two men alone.

Yu gestured to the sitting area. “Please Mr. Conrad. Have a seat.”

Conrad moved to the seat he indicated, and Yu sat across from him, a silence sitting between them as they each stared at each other, waiting for the other to speak.

Yu finally broke the silence. “I trust your flight was uneventful?”

Conrad nodded. “Yes, it was. Thank you.”

Yu lifted the corners of his mouth slightly. “Well, Mr. Conrad, I will spare you the small talk. I would like to go over a few things regarding your employment.”

Conrad nodded. “Of course.”

Yu continued. “Now as I discussed with you last week, my daughter is in need of protection. As her bodyguard, your utmost priority will be her safety. If she leaves the grounds, it is your responsibility to make sure she returns in one piece.”

Conrad listened intently. “I understand.”

One side of Yu’s mouth lifted in a half smile. “I will warn you, Mr. Conrad. My daughter is...very spirited.” 

_ Spirited? That's a code word for ‘spoiled brat’ if I ever heard it. _

Yu continued. “She will not be happy with this arrangement, but that is not her choice.”

Conrad's eyebrows raised. “She doesn't know that she's being assigned a bodyguard?”

Yu shook his head, with a short chuckle. “Oh, I told her. Whether or not she was listening is the issue.”

Conrad allowed a small smile. “I'm sure she'll come around.”

Yu nodded and pulled an envelope out of his pocket, and slid it across the table. “First month's salary. Up front.”

Conrad gingerly picked it up, and held it in his hand. He looked up at Yu. “If I may, I do have one question.”

Yu wore a look of curiosity. “And what would that be?”

Conrad took a breath. “Don't take this the wrong way, I am happy to take the job, but...why me?”

Yu made a face of realization. “Ah. You're wondering why, when there are so many viable candidates I could have chosen, I chose you. Is that correct?”

Conrad responded. “Correct.”

Yu scooted forward in his seat and clasped his hands together, taking a moment before answering. “I believe in second chances, Mr. Conrad. Sure, your military record and your familiarity with my country were requirements that helped me narrow my search, but there was one thing that I discovered about you that piqued my interest.”

Conrad was curious now. What could he possibly mean?

“And that would be?”

Yu looked him in the eye. “The Malaysia incident.”

Conrad kept his face carefully blank.

_ Why the fuck does everyone keep bringing that up? _

“What about it?”

Yu wore a look of understanding. “I read the report, Mr. Conrad. Even a blind man could see it was doomed to fail. I understand now why you walked away from the military.”

Conrad simply stared at him. “I no longer felt I had a purpose.”

Yu’s smile was small. “And now I offer you a new purpose. A chance to redeem yourself. Do well here, And I shall make it very worth your while.”

_ I'm sure you will. _

“I appreciate that, Mr. Yu.” Conrad responded.

Yu smiled. “Now, would you like to meet my daughter?”

Conrad smiled in return. “I guess now is as good a time as any.”

Yu rose from his seat. “More than likely, she's upstairs. If you'll follow me.”

Conrad Rrse to his feet, following Yu back to the entryway, and up the stairs. As they made their way up, Conrad noticed a painting hanging on the wall, vibrant splatters of color in the form of the archipielago, against a white canvas. The monogram “MMY” was painted on the corner.

They walked further upstairs, and Yu made a turn to the right. The upstairs was different from the ground floor. Where the main area had been modern and pristine white, this level of the house was dark in color, the flooring a dark wood laminate and the walls painted a muted gray.

Yu walked straight down the hallway to a single door and knocked. As Conrad approached, he noticed that this door was directly facing a long hallway, each side lined with several doors, and a large window at the very end.

Conrad turned back to the door as Yu knocked again.

“Maiqui?” Yu asked through the door.

There was a small shuffling and a female voice came through, muffled.

“Papa? Is that you?”

Conrad was a little taken aback. The voice sounded older than he was anticipating.

Yu answered. “Yes dear, it's me. Open the door please.”

More shuffling. “Just a second.”

Yu stood straight and waited for a few moments until the door swung open.

In the doorway, stood a thin young woman, who appeared to be just over 5 ft tall. Her hair was dark brown, just reaching her shoulders, and fringe bangs framed her brown eyes. Her hair appeared disheveled, and her eyes, he could tell she was intentionally widening. Her attire was... minimal. She was dressed in an oversized hooded sweatshirt and not much else.

_ She looks like she just rolled out of bed. _

Yu arched a brow. “Did I wake you?”

The girl shook her head, her voice taking on a high pitch. “No, not at all. I've been up for a while.”

Yu regarded her sternly, his tone scolding. “Maiqui…”

She rolled her eyes and sighed. “Fine, yes I was asleep. Happy?” Her voice was more medium pitch, a hint of sarcasm at the end.

Yu kept his voice even. “Well since you're awake, would you like to meet our new houseguest?” He extended his hand in Conrad's direction.

Maiqui turned her head, having been completely oblivious to him up until this point. Her eyes traveled upwards to meet his.

He gave a polite nod, and a ghost of a smile. “Hello.”

Her face turned red and she smiled primly. “Hello.” She turned to her father, pulling down her sweater as far as she could while glaring at him. “Seriously? A little warning would have been nice.”

Yu conveyed his annoyance in his tone. “Manners, Maiqui.”

She huffed and turned back to Conrad, who watched the whole exchange with intrigue. The dynamic between father and daughter was... interesting.

She put on a fake smile as she regarded him. “Maiqui Yu. A pleasure to meet you, Mr…?”

“Conrad. James Conrad.” He replied and extended his hand towards her.

She took it, genuity becoming more visible in her face. “And how long will you be staying with us, Mr. Conrad?”

Conrad hesitated, not sure how to answer. He glanced at Yu, who spoke up.

“Indefinitely.”

Maiqui turned at her father's words, visibly confused and curious. “Indefinitely?”

Yu nodded. “Mr. Conrad is your new bodyguard.”

Maiqui stared at her father like he had grown a second head.

“You can  _ not  _ be serious.”

“I'm very serious. I told you weeks ago that I was planning to hire someone.” Yu replied.

Maiqui gritted her teeth. “You said you were  _ considering  _ it.”

Yu nodded. “I did consider it. And now I have taken action.”

Maiqui scoffed. “Papa. I told you, I don't need-”

Yu put up a hand. “Enough. The decision has been made, Maiqui. From now on, when you leave this house, Mr. Conrad follows. Do I make myself clear?”

Conrad simply watched as a conversation unfolded, keeping silent. It was clear that Yu was used to giving out orders, and his daughter was no exception. He made note of the underlying tension.

_ This might be useful. _

Maiqui looked at her father and seething silence for a long moment, before answering curtly. “Crystal clear.”

Yu nodded. “Good. Now…” He glanced at his watch. “I have a lunch meeting to get to, so I'll be gone for a little while.” Maiqui’s eyes were trained to the floor, her jaw set. Yu put a finger under her chin, lifting it so she would look at him.

“Behave while I'm gone, yes?” he asked softly.

Maiqui nodded, her face a blank mask.

Yu put his hand down, and then turned to Conrad. “Torres is downstairs if you need anything. I'll be back later.”

Conrad nodded. “Yes sir.”

Yu moved past Conrad and headed for the stairs. His footsteps echoed as he made his way to the first floor.

Conrad looked back to where Maiqui stood, just in time to see her face fade from view as the door slammed shut.

_ Well, that went well. _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This was by far the hardest chapter to write. I had to do a lot of research for the location, and the introductions and such were a killer for me. But now the fun can begin! Keep watching for the next chapter! :)
> 
> -MW


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